Mrs Rose Bimpong, former Deputy Central Regional Women Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has urged Ghanaians not to politicize the National Sanitation Day exercise, instituted by the government.

She stated that President John Mahama introduced the exercise to help improve sanitation in the entire nation, and not for NDC members.

Mrs Bimpong made the call when she spoke to the press after the fourth edition of the exercise at Agona Swedru.

The exercise was attended by personnel from the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Prison Service, voluntary organizations, and Keep Fit Clubs at Agona Swedru.

They swept the streets, desilted choked gutters, and weeded some weedy areas in the town.

According to her, environmental sanitation ensures should be the concern of everybody, irrespective of their religious or political affiliations.

Mrs Bimpong urged Ghanaians to see cleanliness as next to Godliness, adding “it is better to take steps to ensure that our environment is kept clean, rather than wait to be attacked by diseases.”

She commended Reverend Emmanuel Coffie, leader of the Unique Fire Life Chapel at Agona Swedru, for his regular participation in the exercise, since it was introduced last year.

Mrs Bimpong urged other religious leaders, to emulate the good example of Rev. Coffie.

She urged them to use their pulpits to preach about the National Sanitation Day, and the need for their members to participate in the exercise.

Mr Samuel Oppong, Agona West Municipal Chief Executive, used the occasion to launch the house-to-house refuse collection programme embarked upon by the Municipal Assembly, aimed at ensuring environmental cleanliness within the Municipality.

Mr Oppong commended the Agona West Educational Directorate, for encouraging schools to take part in the clean-up exercise.

Mr Charles Obeng-Inkoom, Member of Parliament for Agona West, who cut the sod for the construction of a modern toilet facility for Agona Swedru Yalewa Zongo, advised the people to desist from throwing refuse indiscriminately onto the streets.

He said it is bad to deliberately dump refuse on the streets, with the notion that Zoomlion workers will clear them, because they are paid by the government to tidy the environment.